1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid storage tank having a multiplicity of stages of partition plates incorporating laminar-flow setting plates arranged in an appropriate manner. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a liquid storage tank adapted for use in a system having an absorbing tower through which a mixture liquid having a plurality of components is circulated. The liquid flows out of the adsorbing tower with each component exhibiting a chromatographic concentration distribution. The components are repeatedly circulated through the adsorbing tower in the order or sequence of the flowing out, so that the multiplicity of components are further separated from one another.
The invention aims at providing a liquid storage tank of the kind described for receiving liquid flowing from such a tower exhibiting a chromatographic concentration distribution in the order or sequence of the flowing in such a manner as to avoid the mixing of liquids of different contents and concentrations due to stirring or convection. The tank also permits discharging the liquid in the order of the concentration of the components.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional liquid storage tank of the kind described, the space in the tank is divided into a plurality of storage chambers by means of a plurality of stages of horizontal partition plates. These partition plates are provided at their alternating sides in a staggered manner with openings for allowing the liquid to flow down therethrough, such that, when the partition plate of the uppermost stage has an opening at its one side, the partition plate of the next stage is provided with its opening at the opposite side. The liquid is introduced into the tank from the upper side thereof, and is made to flow down through the chambers successively to fill the chambers from the lowermost one upwards. After a stay for a predetermined period, the liquid is discharged from the lower end of the tank.
In this type of liquid storage tank, it is possible to fill the tank with the liquids from the bottom in the order of flow into the tank and to store the liquids while avoiding the mixing of the liquids due to stirring and convection by means of the partition plates. However, as the liquids are extracted from the bottom of the tank, a non-uniform flow takes place in each chamber defined by the partition plates such that the lower part of the liquid flows faster than the upper part of the liquid in each chamber. In consequence, the liquid which has been stored in the upper part of the tank flows down outpacing the upper part of the liquid which was stored in each of the underlying chambers. For this reason, it is not possible to discharge the liquids in the order in which the liquids have been introduced into the tank.